There are bicycle rentals available in Ponce, it is an eco-friendly way to explore the city.

Ponce is a pleasant destination to walk around and explore on foot with many things to see and do within walking distance. Ponce’s historic downtown area features neoclassical architecture that is well worth seeing. The Paseo Tablado La Guancha boardwalk runs along the Caribbean Sea in Ponce and is a great place to stroll along and watch the sunset in the evenings. Go for a stroll around Plaza Las Delicias and explore the charming streets of the town square. Taking a walking tour of Ponce is another great way to experience the city.

Ponce is home to Puerto Rico’s chief Caribbean port, the Port of Ponce. Ponce is a cruise port where all major cruise lines stop. Visitors can take a ferry ride to Caja de Muertos Island from Ponce. There are also options to take a ride on a catamaran with tour companies the trip includes lunch, snacks, water, sodas, local beers, and floats. The high-speed catamaran takes 40-45 minutes to reach the island. 

Driving is one of the predominant ways to travel around Puerto Rico therefore the roads are heavily congested with traffic. Driving is sometimes the easiest way to experience the island if you wish to travel around to different cities. There are rental car companies available at the airport and some in the city of Ponce, but San Juan has the highest selection of rental car companies to choose from. If you wish to extend your visit beyond the city of Ponce, then renting a car is a good idea. 

Taxis are available in Ponce as well as Uber. 

Ponce is a pleasant destination to walk around and explore on foot with many things to see and do within walking distance. Ponce’s historic downtown area features neoclassical architecture that is well worth seeing. The Paseo Tablado La Guancha boardwalk runs along the Caribbean Sea in Ponce and is a great place to stroll along and watch the sunset in the evenings. Go for a stroll around Plaza Las Delicias and explore the charming streets of the town square. Taking a walking tour of Ponce is another great way to experience the city. 

There are bicycle rentals available in Ponce, it is an eco-friendly way to explore the city. 

Ponce is considered a very safe destination to visit. Take the necessary precautions when sightseeing, use common sense, and keep your valuables out of sight from pickpockets, especially in crowded areas like markets, and tourist attractions. At night stay in well-lit and populated areas, and use reputable transportation companies instead of taking rides from strangers. 

There are some good shopping opportunities to explore when visiting Ponce including shopping malls, plazas, and markets around the city. The commercial hub for retail has been centered around Paseo Atocha for years in the city of Ponce but has shifted in recent years to various malls, especially the Plaza del Caribe, Ponce Mall, and Centro del Sur Mall. Ashford Avenue in the city’s Condado district is where shoppers can find exclusive shopping opportunities with big-name brands like Salvatore Ferragamo, and Cartier with other upscale boutiques by local designers. The weekday marketplace located at Calles Atocha and Castillo is a colorful place open Monday through Friday from 8 am – 5 pm. There is a vibrant shopping district that radiates from Ponce’s historic downtown to central Plaza Las Delicias. The Atocha Pedestrian Mall runs north of the plaza with bustling sidewalk merchants selling sweets, jewelry, and clothing. If you follow it to the end there is Plaza de Mercado where a traditional farmer’s market is held. 

Plaza del Caribe Mall is home to flagship stores such as Macy’s, JC Penney, and Sears along with over 130 stores, dining, and entertainment. Ponce Mall features stores like IKEA and TJ Maxx along with clothing and discount stores. Plaza Las Americas is the largest mall in the city featuring stores such as Chicos, Clarks, Foot Locker, and American Eagle Outfitters.

Ponce is home to some spectacular beaches, and bustling boardwalks to spend your day and evenings soaking up the sun, sand, shops, and dining options all found beachside. La Guancha is the perfect slither of sand for sunbathing and relaxing for the day it offers visitors some great views and is a lively area home to the boardwalk brimming with restaurants, bars, and entertainment. Puerta Al Mar is a nice beach with gentle waves, great for sunbathing and swimming in the clear beautiful blue waters. Isls Sea Park is a very popular beach in Ponce. Caja De Muertos is the number one beach to visit when in Ponce, technically it’s an island and is reached by taxi boat, or kayak. El Tuque is a family-friendly stretch of sand with a wide beach and calm waters for safe swimming. Isla Cardona is an island popular for snorkeling, different tour companies offer boat rides and snorkeling tours here.

The official language spoken in Ponce is Spanish and English. Many people speak fluent English, especially in hotels and restaurants. We recommend getting a good English/Spanish guidebook and learning the basic questions like please, thank you, and numbers 1-10.

Ponce features a warm tropical savanna climate with hot summers where summertime high temperatures average around 92F and lows around 74F. The wintertime average temperature highs reach around 87F with lows around 67F. Expect afternoon showers in the summer months with the interior of the country receiving higher rainfall than the coast, most of the rainfall occurs in October.  

The currency of Ponce is the US dollar. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand upon arrival. Currency exchange desks and ATMs can be found at the airport and many locations throughout the city.

There’s a wide variety of restaurants to choose from when visiting Ponce, many can be found along the beachfront boardwalk called La Guancha where there are beachfront dining options and street stalls selling food. Fine dining options are available, with some sensational chefs cooking up abuelita recipes and showing their love for people through their food. After all, food is a very important part of Puerto Rico’s culture blending elements of Spanish, African, and native Taino cuisine into delicious dishes full of flavor. Some of the staple dishes to try on the island include mofongo; deep-fried green plantains, and tostones; double deep-fried plantain wheels, and lechon asado; a slow spit-roasted* pork dish with mouthwatering meat and crispy skin which has been declared a Puerto Rican culinary legacy. There is a large coffee culture in Puerto Rico to sample some head to the hills and tour Hacienda Pomarrosa, and Hacienda Buena Vista estates and see how the beans were harvested, and roasted in colonial times. 

Puerto Rico is the birthplace of the delicious, refreshing Pina Colada.  The nightlife scene in Ponce is concentrated around two major areas; the historic downtown zone and the seafront La Guancha complex. Ponce’s nightlife offers visitors many different venues and exciting events such as parties, bands, live music, concerts, and stand-up comedies in bars, pubs, cabarets, nightclubs, cinemas, and theatres. 

Ponce is considered the City of Rum, and rum lovers can taste the historic Ponce rum on select tours to the local distillery where rum is served straight from the barrel.

In case of an emergency dial 919 for an ambulance or fire, 911 for the police.

Hospital:

Hospital Panamericano Ponce tel. (787)-842-0045.